HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING: Herbert helps Steinert girls rout Hamilton

The Steinert junior was part of three first-place finishes on Thursdaythat helped fuel the Steinert girls’ swim team to a 127-43 victory over Hamilton at the Lea E. Terry Natatorium.

“I love them all because I know all of them from grade school,” Herbert said of the Hornets. “We got separated going into high school but it’s great seeing them again and swimming against them.”

Herbert, who underwent some big-time surgery to have her right kneecap re-aligned last April, is part of a plethora of talented underclassmen that has Spartan coach Jacquelyn Nami excited for next year.

Other Spartan contributors against the Hornets included star freshman Maddie Horner, who has qualified for the state meet in the 50 freestyle and took four firsts against the Hornets, sophomores Hailey Thayerand sophomore Tess Dalton each won four times.

But her junior isn’t over yet as Steinert appears to be getting it together with the Mercer County meet approaching. Herbert said the emergence of Thayer and Dalton, along with the arrival of Horner, has helped her and the Spartans (4-4) start to surge this season.

Seniors such as Taylor Kwok, Jessica Cocroft, Ciera Jones and Carley Conti are also making solid contributions.

“It’s really pushed everybody, I think, to step it up a notch,” Herbert said. “It’s definitely pushed me. After coming back from knee surgery I needed to have supporters. They’re like my family, that’s what they did for me.”

The family was in full swing yesterday, winning all 11 events. Jones was the final individual winner in the 100 breast.

“We were very pleased with how things went today,” Nami said. “But you never know going into this because West has some very fast girls. We had to make sure we were ready to go with our lineup so it worked out in our favor.

“This is always a fun meet. Kyle (Schulke, Hamilton coach) and I have been friends since we were little kids. We enjoy swimming against each other.”

Although his team had a tough day on the scoreboard, Schulke was particularly pleased with efforts from Autumn Sharkey and Sam Courtney, whom he had swimming in new events to see what they could do before starting to prep for counties.

As for Steinert, Nami is excited with where her team is at with two weeks to go before the big event.

“Absolutely,” she said. “Maddie Horner just qualified for individual states in the 50 and Maggie Herbert is creeping up on her, half a second away. Our times are dropping and everything is lining up for counties, so we’re hopeful.”

And on a team with such young talent, that hope will extend way beyond this year.